Your Thursday lunchtime news catch-up

Today is the last day to get health insurance before the Lifetime Community Rating system kicks in at midnight, a passenger has been fined after a plane was forced to dump 20 tonnes of fuel to make an emergency landing and Roddy Doyle has his say on the upcoming Marriage Equality Referendum. These are some of the latest and most read news on irishexaminer.com this lunchtime.

Thu, 30 Apr, 2015 - 01:00

Greg Murphy

TOP STORY

Two charged after iron bar assault in Cork

Two young men have been charged in connection with an iron bar attack on a businessman in Cork city on Tuesday evening.

IRELAND

LATEST: Last day to get health insurance before LCR deadline

There has been a massive surge in the number of people rushing to get health insurance before the Lifetime Community Rating system kicks in at midnight tonight.

MOST READ: Passenger fined after plane forced to dump fuel in sea

A US-bound passenger plane was forced to dump over 20 tonnes of fuel to make an emergency landing in Shannon, after a Miami barman got into a drunken rage after drinking a huge quantity of vodka on board, a court has heard.

SPORT

LATEST: WATCH: Ronaldo’s sulky reaction when team-mate scores

Cristiano Ronaldo reacted like a spoilt toddler when his team-mate got to the ball to score ahead of him last night.

MOST READ: VIDEO: Ronan O’Gara talks about glory days and future plans

Ronan O’Gara took part in a breakfast Q&A on Wednesday April 29 and talked about both his playing days with Munster and Ireland and also his future career hopes.

ANALYSIS

Remembering the fall of Saigon 40 years on

Robert Higgins reflects on the fall of Saigon 40 years ago today to communist North Vietnam. While views are divided, for most in Vietnam, reunification of the country has been a good thing

EXAMVIRAL

MOST READ: Roddy Doyle pens brilliant short story about marriage equality

Beloved Irish author Roddy Doyle - he of ’The Snapper’ and ’The Commitments’ fame - has penned an excellent short story about the upcoming referendum on May 22.

TECHNOW

MOST READ: Tom Hardy plays both Kray twins in first Legend trailer

Tom Hardy is a commanding screen presence so it stands to reason that some studio executive has pondered in the past about the effect of having double the Hardy on screen. And now you can see what that looks like.

WORLD

LATEST: Grandfather convicted of baby's murder

A man who conned his reunited daughter into thinking he was dying of cancer has been found guilty of murdering her five-week-old baby.

MOST READ: QUIRKY WORLD ... Disney staff get animated over dirty costumes

USA: Walt Disney World must rehire three performers who were fired when they refused to wear soiled Spandex unitards as part of their costumes for the “Festival of the Lion King” show, an arbitrator ruled.

BUSINESS

LATEST: Irish exports hit all-time high

The value of Irish exports rose 10% in 2014, reaching an all-time high of €18.6bn, according to Enterprise Ireland.

MOST READ: Marriage referendum is a circus

According to Enda Kenny, a yes vote for same sex marriage in the referendum will be the making of us as a nation. The vote is due in a little over three weeks, writes Paul Mills.

LIFESTYLE

MOST READ: Cork actress Sarah Greene has gone from Leeside to the A-list

She’s been in the news with her famous boyfriend, but Cork actress Sarah Greene deserves her profile very much for her own achievements, writes Ed Power

SHOWBIZ